Rumia's Past: Alone in the Silence
by A. Magpie
Summary: Before she became a youkai, Rumia was somebody else. Sold to a wealthy man by an abusive father, the nameless girl realizes that the mansion holds many secrets, including the ones of the first Rumia. Inspired by the song Alone in the Silence remix by Yuuhei Satellite, original: Apparitions Stalk the Night by ZUN. *You don't need any knowledge on Touhou to understand this story :]
1. Chapter 1

Rain battered at the little town relentlessly. Dim beams of light flickered behind cracked glass windows, lighting up as much rundown rooms as they could. Rotten vegetables and litter flowed down the cobblestone streets, bobbing up and down in oily streams of rainwater.

A single, anguished wail echoed in the back alley of two buildings.

"Shush yer' gob!" The short, skinny man covered the mouth of his blue-eyed daughter. Her frail body, wrapped in ropes, thrashed in fear as another hand came down cruelly on her ear. Fear melted quickly into pain. The little girl's muscles contracted as she waited for it to ebb away.

A stout woman, similarly built as the man, stood beside her husband. A patched bonnet covered her hair.

"Hush now girl!" she coaxed, "It'll be over soon…" the woman's gaze hardened into steel, "if you would jus' shush yer gob…"

"Where'd those sly dogs go? They should be here by now!" lamented her husband. Then, with one hand, he leaned over and brushed his daughter's hair behind her ears, "They're comin' for _you_, girl." His touch left behind an icy tingling on her skin.

Somewhere behind them, a cheap shack gave way and collapsed in the stormy streets.

Betrayal colored the girl's eyes, swirling inside a dark cloud of terror. Either rain or tears streaked down her cheeks as she writhed against the ropes that bound her.

_Family is supposed to love you and care for you. _

The big hand at her mouth prevented any desperate pleas. _Please Daddy please! I beg you!_ She thrashed as much as she dared, kicking wildly. Her shoeless foot hit something hard. A wave of pain overwhelmed her body.

Hot tears flowed freely from the little girl's eyes. The storm within was screeching, howling, and gushing, ten times meaner than the storm without.

Suddenly, she realized. Her legs were free.

Her father was distractedly watching the alley opening. Her mother was picking at the debris on the floor. Somehow, in the dark alleys of a forgotten town, drenched in rain and smothered in darkness, a little flame of hope was born inside the little girl's heart. _Maybe I can make it._ Gambling everything she had, the little girl gave a jerk and kicked her father in the chin with all her might.

If it was just a little girl's kick, it wouldn't have done much damage, and earned her nothing but a hellish beating. But if it was a little girl's kick, a little girl's agony, a little girl's anger, and a little girl's desperation, then that would've been much different. It might've earned her freedom.

Immediately, a throng of curses erupted from the short man, clutching the dark purple splotch under his chin. Tripping over his own feet, he staggered into his wife. A scream issued from the lady's mouth as she went down in a mass of flailing arms.

The girl's bonnet was lost somewhere in the mud, revealing a short mass of fair hair. Rolling around like a log, she twisted this way and that, trying to rid herself of the tough, sinewy ropes. They just won't loosen. Mud stuck to every inch of her body like glue, coating her in a dark brown mass of stinky sludge. Horrible thoughts raced through the little girl's mind, threatening to snuff out that little spark of hope.

_Hope doesn't belong here. Not here, in this dark world._

Her blood ran cold at the thought. _What if Daddy caught me?_

But she still had her legs. After barely stopping herself from rolling out into the street, the blue-eyed girl sat up against the alley opening, and forced her skinny legs to support her weight. Wobbling, with no arms to break her fall, the little girl hobbled desperately out of the alley. Fear clogged her mind, mud clogged her vision. Ropes clogged her movement, her _freedom_.

"Girl!" screeched the short man, "Daughter!" Picking himself up, he stepped over a tangle of legs and skirts just as his daughter made it into the streets. Pursuit began.

The girl dreamed of freedom. Each time her bare toes scraped the ground, each time she winced in pain, was possibly another step less she would have to take to reach freedom. Grabbing for that beautiful thing she longed for, she pushed herself forward. _Further,_ she urged herself, _just a bit further. Daddy doesn't love me anymore._ A faint burst of delight blossomed inside her heart. The rain was washing the mud out of her eyes, giving her a free bath. It seemed like it was washing out her fear and hurt as well. The little girl never felt so free.

Eventually, cold water took its toll. Numbness crept up her ankles. Her feet left thick crimson patches, washed away instantly the moment they were printed.

"Girl! Daughter!_Listen t' yer father!_" a frustrated scream traveled through the wailing storm.

An icy chill ran down the blonde girl's back. All positive feelings were immediately cancelled the moment the words traveled into her ears. Fright egged her on, forcing the little girl forward. A whimper escaped her throat each time her feet pounded the ground. Blood flowed freely from between her toes, and her breathing was labored. Even the little girl didn't notice, some of the waterlogged ropes were beginning to loosen.

From behind her, fast, anxious footsteps could be heard, scrabbling down the cobblestone path, breaking through millions of tiny water droplets. Rumia's heart pounded loudly in her chest. Will she make it? This ugly little village was the only place she'd ever known, relatively small, but her lungs were giving way. The taste of blood filled her throat. She wasn't going to make it after all.

"Daughter! This is good for yer!" cried her father.

_Stop chasing me!_ Each ragged breath was a countdown to her end. Each wheeze slowed her steps. Her heart pounded in her chest. _Jus' _s_toppit!_

A black silhouette could be seen amidst the falling rain, grappling at thin air for his little daughter.

"Me 'n yer mummy truly care 'bout you! Really!"

Tears, or was it raindrops, streaked the girl's face. She ducked as she ran past a row of forgotten sheets still hanging on their clotheslines. A basket of apples rolled across the street, spilling the delicious red fruits into the rain. The wind howled and howled, bringing in the full extent of its icy cold wrath.

A soundless scream escaped the girl's mouth as a dark hand clasped around her shoulder. Instinctively, she whirled around and battered and kicked at the black figure behind her.

"Girl! Daughter!" Her father's screams went under her vicious kicks and bites. "I loves yer t'death! Yer mother loves you!"

_Daddy lies. He lies!_

Barely breaking free, the little girl bolted into an abandoned shop and rushed into the corner, leaving behind her father. The cruel hand which had grabbed and beat her so many times was gone.

Panting and dripping wet, she hobbled around the loose floorboards, looking for somewhere dry. The fear, the terror, it was all fading away. She was safe now.

Her foot landed on a mass of slippery moss.

Suddenly, her balance gave way, and she crashed into the ground, facedown. Splinters flew through the air. Her nose was buried painfully in a wet mush of wood. Choked screeches bounced off the wall, followed by whimpers and whines. The ropes around her body stopped her from thrusting out a hand to save herself.

_Blasted ropes! These stupid, blasted-_

Something grabbed the back of her collar.

Another muffled scream rocked the building. The little girl found herself pulled up, and dragged out of the shop. Tears clouded her vision.

_Daddy's got me…no…why?!_

Limp, hungry, and wet, the blue-eyed girl hung there, head lolling, with no more fight left in her.

_Daddy's gonna beat me. He's gonna hit me. He's gonna kill me. He's gonna kill me dead! I'm sorry Daddy please…_

Her bound body was dropped heavily on the ground. Strangely, there was no more thunder, no more lightning. As suddenly as it came, the rain had stopped.

Wet streams of water and blood ribboned from the girl's wounds, seeping into the dirt beneath her. She lay there, eyes half open like a dead animal.

_Am I dead? Maybe Daddy won't hit me if I'm dead._

A cruel foot jabbed her in the stomach.

Rolling over in pain, the little girl clutched her stomach. Immediately, she started blubbering, "I'm sorry Daddy I'm sorry I won't run away again I'm sorry-"

She focused on the figure looking down on her.

_That's not Daddy. _

"This it?" said the tall, muscular man with a clean-shaven face. His voice had a sinister edge to it. "Rather pitiful, compared to the 'beautiful daughter' you described to me." He turned around and faced the two hunched figures behind him, "Liars annoy me. Huh. I don't _like_ things that annoy me."

"I-I…She's just a bit knocked up…tried to run away you see…" said the voice of the girl's father.

"Yes yes! I can vouch for me husband's words sir…" sputtered the girl's mother.

Never in her life has the little girl seen her parents so frightened. They were fearless, powerful, the most powerful beings in her life. It was strange. She closed her eyes. It was too much work keeping them open. The darkness was welcoming.

"Well, you see, broken little girls just aren't worth much. I'm afraid she isn't worth as much as we discussed before, don't you think?" The couple wailed in dismay. Barely holding on to the world, the little girl listened.

"Is there a problem now?"

"N-no sir," muttered her father, "How m-much?"

A hand grabbed her collar. It twisted the her this way and that, inspecting her.

"Hm, if it weren't for me, my lovely couple, you would _have _no daughter to bargain with would you, don't you think? Ah, your welcome, _anytime_, folks. You should give me a slight discount, yes?" The dirty couple watched, unmoving, as the well-dressed man before them ranted. Finally, he leveled his thoughtful eyes with theirs. "Five pieces shall do quite nicely."

A shocked silence hung in the air.

"B-b-but we agreed on twenty!" cried the girl's father. He nudged his wife, "Tell 'im…d…darlin'!"

"R-right…dear! I swear she's healthy and such…and you really don't need to feed her a lot, starvation…_builds_ character…a-and our little girl has _loads_ of that-"

"Tied up her arms, but left her legs free," the tall man chuckled, "_What _character! Now," his voice hardened into steel, "I will ask once more. _Do you agree?_"

A sullen silence followed. Nobody said a word.

"Ah yes, silence. Silence is good, my friends, very good. May I ask how old she is?" said the strange man.

"Er, five-"

"Six!" his wife interrupted, "My, you have such _horrible_ memory-"

"Does she have a name?"

"Well um," the woman answered, "We haven't…er, namelessness builds _character_ you see...Did I mention how_much_ of that our little girl has-"

The strange man threw a few coins into the mud.

"Farewell."

The girl felt something tighten around her arms, and then her legs. The little hope she had was gone. She gritted her teeth as the tough things dug into the red marks on her body. _It hurts._ Rueful laughter echoed in the back of her head. _I'm not six, Mommy. I'm seven. You're bad at remembering. _

The little girl barely felt herself being dragged through the dirt. Splinters dug in her face. Her awareness dulled. The rhythmic movement lulled her into the realm of unconsciousness.

_Five pieces. I'm worth five pieces._ The last thing she felt before she blacked out was a tiny touch of scorn.


	2. Chapter 2

Sunlight cut into her vision, disturbing the little girl's dreamless sleep. The golden beams beat at her pupils so that the darkness underneath her eyelids was no longer comfortable. Slowly, her eyes cracked open, letting in the brightness of daytime.

Startled, the little blonde brought a hand to her face and brushed her own cheek. Her skin was soft, her cheeks were warm. The little girl's skinny body was propped up against the back of an antique chair with velvet cushions. Almost like a doll. The chair, almost like a throne, was one of the many chairs that were placed around a wide dining table. The little blonde stared dumbly at the long table that stretched about twenty or thirty feet before her, laden with golden platters and silver cups. She stared at her strange surroundings, perplexed, yet calm and delirious, not taking in what her eyes were seeing.

_Five pieces. I'm worth five pieces. _Her memories lingered in a small corner of her mind, drifting in and out of consciousness. A small wave of discontent washed over the little girl. _Ha ha. Five pieces._ Her shoulders shook slightly as she laughed silently at herself.

"Good morning, Rumia." The little girl jerked in her seat. Her eyes flew from chair to chair, all around the long table, until they finally rested on a well-dressed man that sat at the other end. He smiled as her gaze met his. The blood drained from the little girl's face. _Who is this strange man? Where am I?! _Fear bubbled underneath her skin. _I've never seen him before! _His face reminded the girl of a dog. No, he wasn't a dog. He was too intelligent, too strong, too _wild_. He was a wolf. The little girl narrowed her eyes. No, actually, she's seen him before. _He's the man who grabbed me!_ Recognition spread across her face. _He's the man who-_

"I'm sorry," boomed the wolf man, "I said, _good morning Rumia._"

The little blonde banished all the confusion floating in her mind. _Go with it! _Her gut instinct screamed at her. _Go with it! _An eerie silence hung in the air. _What would happen if you _didn't_ go with it? _At that thought, she forced her mouth open and squeaked, "G-good morn-"

"Yes! It is _indeed_ a good morning," the wolf man laughed heartily, "don't you think so, my daug-"

The little girl's attention was already gone. She replayed the sound of five pieces dropping into the mud, over and over again in her head. _He's the man who said I was worth five pieces. _Her stomach boiled. _Why?_ The blonde felt her discontent churning deep inside her. _Why?! _Her pride demanded to be justified.

"Why was I only worth five pieces?!" The words were out of her mouth before she knew it. The little girl balled her fists and squeezed her eyes shut, awaiting the blows that were sure to descend for her insolence. _I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! Please Daddy-_

"You're worth a trillion pieces to me, daughter," the wolf man smiled widely, "Now eat." The blonde snapped opened her eyelids in surprise.

_Daddy isn't here anymore. _She reminded herself. Even then, she was fearful that he would still hear here thoughts somehow, and then come find her and take her away.

_"__You're worth a trillion pieces to me, daughter." _The little girl blushed slightly at the thought. _Am I worth a trillion pieces?_ Her heart swelled.

The blonde tried to imagine what a trillion pieces would look like. It made her too dizzy. She stole a glance at the wolf man. _Does he own a trillion pieces?_ She surveyed the golden plates and dishes set before her. Many things the little girl didn't recognize, except a plate of apple slices. She closed her eyes and revisited the first and only time she's ever eaten an apple. How her teeth sank into the crunchy fruit. How the sweet, tangy juices bathed her tongue. Then, slowly and shyly, the little girl began to pick at the exotic dishes in front of her. She pictured the wolf man sitting in a pile of shiny apples.

_Maybe he does own a trillion pieces. _The little girl dug in.

Many of the dishes were small, made more for sampling than eating excessively. They filled up the table, covering up the white tablecloth that extended all the way to the wolf man's seat on the other end of the table, awaiting more guests to sample them. Each different pastry held a memorable array of tastes that left lasting flavors on her tongue, even if the blonde only tried the ones nearest to her. The food was nothing less than elaborate. It was something the poor could never dream of.

Nor could they have dreamt of the regal architecture in which the food was served under. One side of the room was entirely windows. Tapestries of wolves hung on the ivory walls. Blue velvet etched with designs of the silver animals were draped over each door. There were many doors, leading to wondrous places elsewhere. The tall curtains that partially covered the stained glass windows shivered with clear white beads. It sent the multicolored light that streamed through the windows in splashes of rainbow all across the large dining table.

It was a glamorous fantasy.

Somewhere in the corner of her vision, the little girl caught a glimpse of gorgeous green mountains that lay outside the windows.

_I wonder where I am._

"Eat, my daughter," the wolf man's voice brought the little girl back to the dining table. His gray eyes never left her. Each time she slowed down, he would urge her to eat more, eat more. So she ate more.

_For five pieces…and now I'm his daughter._

But, every part of her yearned for her to trust, begged her to just indulge into the riches thrown at her so sparingly. _Maybe I _am_ his daughter. _Happiness blossomed in the little girl's chest. This was a beautiful dream, a dream where someone like her could be worth a trillion pieces. The silver fork cradled between her fingers fell onto the tablecloth.

"Are you finished, sweet daughter?"

_I'm worth a trillion pieces._

"Yes…Daddy."

_I'm worth a trillion pieces._

"You may excuse yourself," the wolf man clasped his hands, "Oh. Also," he release one hand and massaged his nose. Something glinted in his eye, "I know you've been requesting a new dress."

"Yes, D-daddy," the little girl clutched her patched skirts self-consciously. They weren't worth the presence of new Daddy. _I'm rich now after all. _She waited as the wolf man wiped his mouth with an expensive handkerchief. After folding the cloth and slipping it in his pocket, he glided down the side of the table and opened the door for her. Unsure what she was supposed to do, the blonde stood up unsteadily and, trying to glide like the wolf man, made her way awkwardly toward the open door.

A chilly air hit her the moment she stepped through the door. The little girl gasped. For a moment, the world around her flickered. It felt as if a something had wrapped its cold fingers around her heart.

_Up…the…pipe… _The blonde whipped around. Did she just hear something?

Then, the chilliness was gone. Disappeared, as if it was never there. Breathlessly, the blonde rubbed her arms, trying to keep the hairs on her skin from standing up.

_There's nothing to be afraid of…'cos I'm rich now…_She eyed her surroundings warily.

A dark, navy colored hallway extended endlessly on both sides. Portraits of strange-looking people hung on the walls, evenly spaced. It was almost as if their eyes followed the little girl's movements. A violent shiver shook her body.

_Bein' rich is ALL 'bout creepy blue hallways!_

The little girl stuck out her chin, trying to force down her terror. She trailed timidly behind the wolf man, who proceeded down the left corridor wordlessly.

The passage went on forever. Black wooden doors appeared on each side of the hall like some sinister pattern. Then, suddenly, the hallway ended. It just stopped, strangely and abruptly. At the very, very end was a single door, proud and white. The closer they got, the more the little girl realized that the silver doorknob was rather strangely shaped.

It was a wolf head. The snarling beast's jaws were open, revealing a row of knife-sharp teeth. The wolf man thrust his hand on it and twisted without hesitation.

The creature's ears clicked and it mouth snapped once…then door opened with a lilting creak.

A gasp caught in the little girl's throat.

Much like the dining room before, this room was magnificent. Sunlight filtered in through the large window. Glass ornaments hung from the ceiling, reflecting colorful splashes of light all over the white room. The back of the room was an enormous closet, drawers and mirrors, dressers and racks. One bed stood at the center, larger than any bed she's ever seen.

Four dresses lay on the silken bed sheets. The wolf man planted his hand on the blonde's back and gently ushered her inside. Heart thumping in her chest, the little girl stepped forward and examined the dresses with wide blue eyes. Three of them could pass for gowns. Fancy, splendid, glamorous, words that were never meant to describe poverty.

The fourth dress was plain and black with a white sash. A red tie-like piece of velvet hung from its collar. The blonde turned around, searching for the wolf man, but he wasn't there. The door was closed. She figured he must be waiting outside for her.

She chose the plain black dress.

When she stepped outside, the wolf man was waiting. His face lit up when he saw her.

The hungry gray eyes startled her. The little girl froze in her tracks, frozen with shock. She stared into the wolf man's pupils. They gleamed with mad satisfaction. A chill ran down the little girl's back. Her voice was mute.

"You passed," grinned the wolf man, "You really are my Rumia."

_I passed?_ An uneasy feeling crept up the blonde's spine. _What if I didn't pass?_

_What then?_

Suddenly, the wolf man lunged forward and grabbed her arm. A silent scream issued out of the little girl's mouth as she was pulled forward. A finger found its way under her chin and pushed her head upwards, until she was nose-to-nose with the wolf man. The little girl gripped the hem of her new dress in terror.

"Rumia, my Rumia! I've finally found you! You had me so worried…" the man's face flushed with happiness, not unlike a child with a new toy. He spread his arms and embraced the blonde in a suffocating hug. "Oh Rumia! My Rumia! My sweet little daughter…"

_This man is crazy! He's utterly crazy!_

The little girl shook with panic. Her screams were muffled in the sleeves of the wolf man, and her kicks didn't even shift the man's arm. She'd yell, she'd kick, but the wolf man would never let go. He was lost in his own world, the mad, twisted world, where his daughter Rumia stood before him, embracing him back.

_What happened to Rumia?_

She could see, with those bright blue eyes, the color of paranoia clouding the man's eyes. His wolf eyes.

Regret washed over the little girl. _I shouldn't have trusted him…I should've ran away…_Hopelessness was like a heavy stone in her heart, weighing her dreams down. For a moment, the little girl almost gave up.

_Fight! _Her insides screamed. _Fight him! Fight!_

For a split second, the blonde was able to force down her fear.

"Leggo! I'm not Rumia! _I hate you!_" The words were of no avail. Panic began worming its way back into her again. The little girl struggled, internally and externally. She flailed like a fish in the wolf man's deadly embrace. But it was all in vain. The man's hands were like steel. Crimson red threads spread from his gray pupils, the seeds of madness sown. The little girl looked away from those bloodshot eyes.

"Please…" she grit her teeth as tears began streaming down her cheek, "Someone! Help me!"

"My daughter," the rant continued, "My sweet little daughter who is only six…"

_You're so bad at remembering, Mommy. _

_I'M NOT SIX!_

"I'm not six! I'm seven! I'm _not_ your daughter! _I'm seven!_" screamed the blonde.

The mad rants stopped abruptly.

Then there was silence. Utter silence.

The little girl's blood ran cold when she locked eyes with the wolf man. His viselike grip slackened, and she let herself fall upon the dark carpet.

It's almost as if time froze.

_I doomed myself. _The little girl realized in wonder. _How does someone doom themself?_

The corner of the madman's mouth curled up in a disgusted snarl. A low hiss snarl emitted from his lips.

"_You're not my daughter." _

A whimper tickled the blonde's throat, "N-no I was j-just kidd…" her voice faded weakly under the wolf man's intense glare. A red color spread across his cheeks as, suddenly, the man's features twisted into a horrifying, grotesque look.

"_You're not my daughter!_" With a scream of frustration, the wolf man kicked the little girl away like she was poison. Her body slid across the hall, cushioned by soft carpet.

A heavy boot landed squarely on her left hand and ground against her knuckles. The little girl shrilled with pain as the cruel foot crushed her hand. "_But," _the wolf man continued, "_you _know_ where my Rumia is, don't you?!_" Flipping over a vase, he rammed his fist into the wall, "JUST LIKE THE OTHERS! AAARGH!" One of the paintings crashed to the floor in splinters. Sweat trickled down the grooves in the wolf man's forehead. His throaty breathing echoed down the corridors. "AAARUGH!" something else crashed. The foot shifted away from the blonde's hand.

The moment her hand was free, the little girl curled into a pitiful ball. She sucked her injured knuckles and buried her face into the skirts of her new dress. She sobbed, she wailed, she cried while angry steps thumped about her, causing muted vibrations in the carpet. A hand seized her collar. Howling like a real wolf, the madman brought her up to his nose, "_You will tell me where she is! Tell me where my daughter is!_"

"I…don't…know!" the little girl wheezed, gasping for air.

"Just like the others! JUST LIKE THEM!" he lowered her to the ground and snarled, "You'll tell me! I'll _make_ you! Just like the others!"

_Who were the others? _

"I don't know I don't know…!" the blonde sputtered in panic. She was ready to beg for her life. She was ready to do anything to save herself. The little girl pleaded and whined, only to deaf ears. She let out a cry of pain as the wolf man grabbed her by the hair and began to drag her down the passage. Apparently, he had a destination in mind.

"_Shut up!_" the man scathed, "You little monster! All of you yellow-tongued demons! I thought you were my sweet little daughter…how stupid I was! How stupid, how _stupid_…" he continued to fume, "The black dress only my daughter would choose…you chose as well! You meant to trick me didn't you? You think you _fooled _me?! I was so close to finding her!" he roared, "_So close!_"

The little girl dared not say another word. Silent questions danced in her mind. _The others? The black dress? Would I have ended up like this anyways if I had chose another dress? _Her body slid roughly across the carpet, around corners, down corridors and up stairs. Slowly, the pieces began to fall together. _The others were girls like me weren't they? They chose the wrong dress. Is that how he determines who is worthy of his dark fantasies?_

_He misses his daughter. And this is how he wants to get her back._

The little girl sank deeper into the darkness of her mind.

_What happened to his true daughter?  
><em>

Suddenly, she realized, the air had turned colder. The wolf man jolted to a halt somewhere in the dark basements of his mansion. He threw the blonde against the wall.

"You can join the others! You will _rot _or tell me where my daughter is!" growled the wolf man. They stood outside of a hidden door, deep down underground. The air was heavy, the atmosphere cold. It made the little girl's skin prickle like it had when she first stepped into the halls. The wolf man kicked open the wooden door and grabbed the blonde by the wrist. She let herself be pushed soundlessly into the cramped little room.

"I will ask you _one last time. Where is she?!_" the wolf man loomed at the lopsided doorway. The blonde buried her face into her skirts and stayed silent.

The wolf man's expression hardened, "Tomorrow, I'll ask again!" and he slammed the door. A rock sunk in her stomach.

_I'm trapped._


	3. Chapter 3

(Shoot this is so bad and rushed lol sorry)

Somehow, her instincts told her not to move. In the darkness, where nothing is certain, the best thing you can do is not move. After all, who knows what lies in the blackness beyond where you stand? Will you still be safe if you move?

Sometimes, it's hard not to move.

_Squish._  
>It felt as if her foot touched something. Did she accidentally kick something? A slight confusion touched her mind, but curiosity overruled all else. Shakily, the little girl tucked her fists under her armpits and sat up cautiously, gazing fearfully into the shadows.<br>A twisted black lump rested at her foot.

A startled squeak rose from her throat. Frozen on her knees, the little girl stared at the lump, momentarily paralyzed. She inhaled the disgusting smell that filled her stone prison, noticing it entirely for the first time. Somewhere in her head, memories arose from years before.  
>When she was younger, she had accidentally left a strip of meat her mother told her to buy on the table over a humid summer night. It had spoiled, and the smell was horrific.<br>The smell that entered her nose now was unmistakably similar.

Before her lay a rotting body of something small, a young girl with a moth-eaten dress. Her dead body was the exact height of the blonde. Her skin was peeling off. White bones poked out from her joints. Maggots crawled out of her eye sockets, where a pair of crying eyes probably once rested. Breathing rapidly, the blonde gathered up her courage and crawled slowly towards the dead girl. She stopped once or twice to check if maggots were crawling out of her own eyes as well.

The fluffy white dress the dead girl wore was an exact copy of the one lying on a bed above her. Thin strands of blonde could still be seen still sticking to the dead girl's skull.

_She must've had blue eyes. Rumia must've had blue eyes too. I wonder how many girls have died here. I wonder…how she died._

The little girl was in a dire situation. She forced herself to her feet and brushed the dust off her new dress. Skirting the dead girl's body, she tiptoed around the room, looking for something, _anything_ that would help her in any way. Her mindset was preserving her life.

Spine tingling with chills, the blonde realized she was trapped in a room with not one, but many bodies littered around the room. Her hairs stood up. A wave of icy water washed over her. Fear coursed through her veins. _I'm gonna die here._

But then, she noticed, that she was only one who was going to die in a black dress. The blonde sat back down shakily, trying to rest a bit.

Nobody could rest in a place like this.

The dead girl's eyeless holes seemed to stare at her. A scrap doll lay mutilated on the ground, with cottony stuffing spilling out of its head and stomach. Half its head was missing along with a few limbs. The blonde tried to make her way to the ugly doll, but the many corpses that littered the floor barely left anywhere to step on. They barely left any space on the ground to step in, besides the one-yard radius that extended from the door. Bones and whatever else it was piled high on either side of the door, which was probably opened regularly. Trying to ignore everything that was dead, the little girl grabbed the scrap doll with a squeak, and rushed to the clean spot. Hugging what's left of the disfigured scrap doll, she stared at it and wondered which dead girl was the previous owner. She must've gone mad before she died.

Taking in whatever warmth it offered, the blonde closed her eyes and drifted off, wishing for the peace that didn't come. Deep in the shadows, a single voice rose into a little melody.

_La, la la, la, la la..._

The little girl's heart stopped. Giggling voices echoed in the blackness.

_Oh hey, another Rumia. _

_Trapped too? Failed the test did'ya?_

_But your dress…_

_How many of us are here now?_

_Oy! That's my doll! Givvit back! _

A slight breeze brushed past her left arm.

Gasping for breath, the blonde sat up in a flash, spooked to the bones. Cold sweat ran down her face. After a moment of feeling around, she realized her scrap doll was gone. Not even its cottony guts remained. With a last glance around the dead bodies, the blonde settled herself back down, trying to slow her own breathing. At last, sleep found her and she embraced it with gratefulness.

Something behind the girl pushed her forward roughly, and without warning. With a shocked cry, she tumbled head over heels, straight into a dead girl's body.

The wolf man stood at the entrance. Carelessly, he threw a piece of stale bread into a puddle of grease and grime.

"Where is my daughter?" he growled.

But the little girl's eyes, stricken with horror, were riveted on the severed head of the corpse. It rolled slightly and came to a stop at her feet, accusing holes glaring up at her. Maggots and cockroaches spilled out of them without stop. The girl had accidentally shattered the corpse's dead, bony neck.

Trying to fix the head back on its body, the little girl watched as it fell back to the ground repeatedly, refusing to stay on. The last of the bugs were rocked out of their homes and scrambled away to occupy other skulls.

"I'm sorry I'm sorry…"

The wolf man noted her answer with a grim nod. Immediately, the door slammed shut, cutting off the light. The girl's dusty hands froze in place.

She whipped her head around, "Wait! No!" the blonde stumbled over and plastered herself against the strong oak door, "Please let me out! Please!" she whimpered.

After an hour of crying and pounding against the door, the little girl, red-faced and tired, wilted onto the floor and sobbed, rubbing her bloody knuckles. Eventually, she gave in to hunger and scooted over to the cheap piece of bread. With tears still spilling from her eyes, she began to pick at the clean parts, sniffing pitifully.

_I liked having a head you know…_

Squealing in fright, the blonde pushed herself against the wall, surveying the room with swollen eyes. The free-rolling skull of the dead girl stared straight at her with blank black holes.

_The cockroaches were great company, smart bugs, they are. Maggots are a bit dumber though…_

Never taking her eyes off the skull, the girl crept forward, grabbed the piece of bread and backed into the corner again.

As she hungrily ate, ignoring the oily taste, the little girl's tongue touched something stringy and paper-like. Spitting out a wad of chewed bread, she gingerly picked through the mushy paste. Her fingers pulled out a small strip of paper.

Staring at it in wonder, the blonde managed to make out some tiny black scribbles. Hope flared up inside of her. She wiped off as much bread as she can and eagerly squinted at it through the darkness. It was still readable. In neat, girly handwriting was a short message.

_Up the pipe. I'm up the pipe._

"Up the pipe…?" the ember of hope blossomed inside the blonde as if somebody threw tinder in it. _Is there an exit up the pipe?_ She stepped over the dead bodies, looking for the pipe or a vent or anything like that. But after further observation, it was very clear that there _was_ no pipe. The room was completely cut off. It was a hole dug in the ground. Sighing in disappointment, she sat back down, with the fire in her heart reduced to a wet, cold sizzling pile of ash. Dark circles were forming under her eyes.

The next day came slowly. As mad as ever, the wolf man visited with another piece of cheap bread and the same question. Staring at nothing with dully, glassy eyes, the girl didn't merit him with a reply. Her own sanity was slipping away slowly.

"One day," said the wolf man as he tossed her the bread carelessly, "I might, er, _forget_ to come down here. I suggest you answer my question quickly before that happens."

But the wide blue eyes, they weren't staring at the wolf man in fear. No, they were staring _past_ him, into the corridor outside…at a loosely barred vent that opened neared a network of pipes.

Sneering in disgust, the wolf man turned and slammed the door, muttering, "Just like the others…_just_ like them…" His big black boots disappeared.

The moment he left, the little girl scrabbled over the corpses and landed herself on the piece of bread. She tore it apart like a wild animal.

_My, a wild one._

_Mother told me to never waste food._

_Well I can't eat without a head so…_

The girl didn't even react. The madness was getting to her as well. The air, the darkness, the silence. It was killing her, worming into her brain. Hours and hours of sleepless nights, pounding at the door. Things like that do damage. Dark emotions brewed inside of her.

Amidst the flurry of crumbs, the blonde fished out a strip of paper. Her stony face showed no expression as she read it silently.

_Kill my daddy. Kill him._

The girl brushed the walls with her hand as the words sank in, words bringing in madness. She caressed the shadows flitting around her.

The darkness seemed to envelope her, embracing her when no one else would. She wasn't afraid of the dark. She was afraid of the things hiding in the dark. But the dark itself, it was a wonderful, shady thing. It was powerful. It was mysterious. And it was unwanted and misunderstood, just like herself. The blonde crumpled the scrap on paper in her fist.

_I will._

Insanity is unstoppable.


	4. Chapter 4

(so i barely looked through it or edited AGAIN sorry D: i SHUD be updating more after this though...maybe...)

The cellar door creaked open, letting in a small blast of cool air. The wolf man stepped through and approached her silently.

The darkness had almost turned her into a monster. Without a word, the little girl, shaking, turned her pale face towards him. Within her fists were the two scraps of paper. Her two scraps of hope. Her eyes saw past the wolf man. They saw past the open door. Just outside of her prison was a rusty air vent, an opening to the complicated network of pipes that ran within the mansion.

_I'm up the pipe._

The little girl went for it.

The wolf man, completely surprised, could only watch as the tiny black shape zipped past him. His mouth opened in a silent scream as his crazed, bloodshot eyes widened in utter astonishment. Like a skinny ferret, the little blonde skittered out the door and crashed into the old vent with a loose rattling noise. Something stopped her, giving her a checkered bruise on her forehead. The metal grill that covered the air vent wouldn't budge.

Shaking the rusty thing with all her might, the girl's fear, terror, and hopelessness returned for just a moment. She became human again, for an instant. Screaming and yelling, she pulled and pulled, yet the thing stayed put.

Howling with rage, the wolf man charged towards the girl and grabbed the back of her collar and she was heaved away from the vent. Away from her hope.

But her small fingers still held on. They held on to the metal vent with all their power. The power not just of a little girl, but a little girl's anger, a little girl's desperation, and a little girl's determination.

As the wolf man pulled her back, there was a sharp _clink!_ His stunned fingers let go of the wriggling girl, when, unexpectedly, he saw that he wasn't just holding a little girl but a little girl clinging to the metal grill that once blocked a vent. A few rusty nails lay clattering around his boots. He had opened the vent.

Seeing her chance, the little girl threw the grill at the wolf man and shot into the air vent, scrabbling for holds. With a yell of fury, the wolf man reached for the little girl's kicking feet. Gripping the walls of the pipe, the girl desperately pushed herself forward, hoping to evade the big, wolfish hand that is going to grab her feet and drag her away.

Sweat beaded on her forehead. Her small muscles burned. Gritting her teeth, the girl gave one last push, thrusting her body inside the pipe once and for all. Terror urged her on, cold terror. She continued dragging herself through the pipe even after the pounding of the wolf man's fists had silenced, even after she her muscles felt like they were ripping. Only when the darkness began to settle down around her did she slow down slightly.

"I'm…going up…the pipe," she told nobody in particular, panting hard, "I'm up, see?"

The inside of the pipe was damp and slippery. It sloped upwards, and, as if specially made for a little girl to climb, it was just the right size. The little girl's body fit almost perfectly. Dampness clung to the old, cylindrical walls. She wrinkled her nose in disgust each time her hands brushed something slimy or webby. Moss and mold managed to make this place their homes. But the smell was more earthy and less rotty for a change. The girl was glad for that.

She continued climbing.

After a while, wind could be heard traveling through the pipes, whistling its sorrowful tune. The girl shivered. It was getting colder and colder. Her spine tingled as she wondered what she would find up there. Maybe her freedom. Maybe something else. She had nothing to lose anyways.

_But my own life._

The girl remembered what the darkness had almost turned her into, before such imperfect human emotions brought her back. Yet in her memories, insanity had a certain comfort. Every time she imagined herself being wrapped up in darkness, it made her feel safe, safe and warm. The shadows understood her feelings, no, they _were_ her feelings.

Suddenly, the solidness beneath the girl gave way, and she was plummeted downwards through empty space. Before she could scream, her fall was broken by something hard and flat, knocking all the wind out of her lungs.

For a terrified moment, she thought she had somehow wind back in her cold prison again. Had she fallen back there?

_I should've watched where I was going! _A stream of tears immediately began to pool in her eyes. But then, what if she hadn't? She grit her teeth and blinked back the wetness. What would happen now? Without moving a muscle, she continued to lay on her back and stared at the darkness above as her eyes adjusted. Somehow, this was peaceful.

Eventually, the pain subsided. Slowly, the girl sat up, coughing vigorously and welcoming the cool blasts of air back into her lungs. Tiny blood drops sprayed the brick floor, but she didn't notice. She was alive. That's all that mattered. Her pupils dilated as her eyes adjusted to the lighting.

It was very cold.

She was in another room, empty so far. The little girl was ready to be disappointed, until her eyes fell on something slumped in the corner. The sight that met her eyes didn't scare her anymore, for she was accompanied by darkness. Wherever there was darkness, she feels safe because it chases away her human emotions. There was no fear, and no pain.

It was another corpse, not much different from the many ones back in her former prison. Something thin and shiny, something metallic, grew out of its chest. The little girl crawled up to it on all fours, blue eyes spread wide in wonder.

_Up the pipe. I'm up the pipe._ A faint voice came from behind her.

Whipping around, the little girl found herself staring at nothing but darkness. Her breathing slowed. The more she understood these poor spirits, the less she was afraid. She took a deep breath.

_Turn off your feelings._

Turning her body, the little girl scooted over and sat right next to the dusty bones, focusing on the metallic object.

_Turn off your emotions._

The corpse's bony hands, completely rotted, were wrapped around the object. Half of its fingers were either missing or fallen off, littered around the floor. Cobwebs weaved in and out of its bleached bones. The papery remains of a faded black dress covered part of it. Through the dead girl's skinny ribs, the little girl could see the keen tip of a dagger. Her eyes widened in shock. _Did she…? _

Suddenly, something cold brushed past the blonde, making her dirty hair flutter. She brushed the hair out of her eyes and listened intently.

_Kill my daddy. Kill him._

Her fingers ran through the dead girl's black skirts. They wore identical clothing.

"Rumia…" she whispered, "You're Rumia, aren't you?" Reaching out slowly, she brushed Rumia's hands off the dagger. They fell to the floor in a clatter of bones. The girl retracted in shock and held her breath. Her chest fell in relief when nothing happened.

"Did you…did you do this to yourself?" she whispered, "But why…?" the little girl's voice shook.

Working up her courage again, the blonde uncurled her fingers, slowly…slowly, and wrapped them around the dagger hilt. Then, she pulled it out.

There was a sick crack, and the whole rib cage caved in. White dust covered the floor like snow. But the blonde girl didn't notice any of these, for in her hands was the gleaming blade of the dagger.

_Kill my daddy. Kill him. _A slight hint of anger edged the voice. Rumia's voice.

Then, there was silence.

Without thinking, the little girl stood up grimly, dagger in hand, and stepped back to the pipes.


	5. Chapter 5

(These are all ROUGH DRAFTS of the story, I may fix and edit them later but I don't have time rn...sorry! I've been getting requests to finish this story so I'll be posting in this fashion from now on for awhile.)

_What kind of thing would a father do to his daughter…that would make her do something like this? _It was obvious that, the moment she saw Rumia's bony hands on the dagger, the dead girl had ended her own life.

Her hand tightened on the dagger. It was a simple thing, a silver blade fixed on a black leather hilt. She would have to avenge Rumia, and thrust this into the wolf man's heart. She would do it, otherwise she would suffer a similar fate. She was the only one who had escaped and came so far. She was the only one who could do it.

Maybe then she would get her freedom.

The mansion was like a maze. The little girl found herself wandering the halls like a ghost. The dagger became heavier each minute. After awhile, her hand was sore to the bone. Hunger gnawed at her stomach. The images of the grand breakfast she had awoken to days ago made her dizzy with longing. Then, she realized that her other hand still clutched the two scraps of paper. Lips pursed ruefully, she uncurled her fingers and stared at them. The little girl held them up hesitantly, then stuffed them in her mouth and swallowed. She grimaced in disgust at the salty taste of sweat and dirt.

"_Rumia…?_"

A masculine voice echoed down the corridors. The little girl froze midstep. Her blood ran cold as all her courage left her at once. The dagger slipped out of her hands and clinked on the floor. The carpet muffled the metallic noise.

A dark figure lumbered into view from the far end of the hall.

Scrambling to pick up her weapon, the little girl bolted down the hall like a hare. Her short blonde strands swished heavily behind her.

"_I've been so worried about you, Rumia!_"

She's found the wolf man, more or less. The little girl's wits left her in an instant as she forgot why she had a dagger. Tripping over her own feet, she took a turn and almost crashed into the wall. Fear propelled her forward.

The wolf man followed. One moment, he was gaining, his deep black eyes lit up with glee. The next moment, he stopped. Looking over her shoulder, the blonde watched helplessly as his face turned from happiness to anger.

"_You're…NOT…MY…DAUGHTER!_" bellowed the crazed man.

The little girl knew she was done for. This man, still under the delusion that his daughter loved him back, had realized that it was she who had escaped him moments ago. It was she who supposedly knew where his daughter was.

"Where's my daughter? _You did something to her didn't you?!_" he growled. The little girl kept running. Her mind raced, her heart pounded. Blood and adrenaline concentrated inside her head, preparing for the worst. Every ragged breath could be heard clearly amid the dark blue corridors. She didn't feel brave anymore.

Suddenly, a cold blast of air blew past her face. Her feet came to a stop, as if frozen by the cold.

The air had changed. Something felt off, yet nothing looked different. There was a certain coldness that crept into her bones, freezing her joints. It felt as if there was frost forming there. For a moment, the blonde stood on there with a certain reassuring calmness.

"Tell me where she is! _Tell me!_" the wolf man's voice traveled into the little girl's ears. She barely heard them, for, just then a white shape flickered in front of one of the many doors on the side of the hall.

_Hee hee…_

_Over here. _

_Hurry._

_Where are you guys I can't see without my head…?_

_You know where Rumia went don't you?_

_We've been trying to find her body for a long time._

_She tried to help us too when we were alive._

_Thank you. We were trapped until now._

Frozen in her spot, the blonde girl gaped at the white forms flitting in and out of view. She could see her misty white breath as she breathed. It was as if her own ghost was leaving her, piece by piece, through each breath. Even then, she felt warm and fuzzy. Death filled the air around her. It comforted her. Faintly, she could make out the faded outlines of the dresses of the corpses that lay in the basement. She was the only one with the black dress. The souls of many of them were here, probably _all_ of them.

"RUMIA! MY DAUGHTER! WHERE DID YOU HIDE HER?!" screamed the wolf man.

_Come!_

_We can't let him see us. Hurry!_

_It's been years since we were able to leave our bodies. Follow us!_

_That dagger freed us all! Please. Let us return the favor._

The…dagger?

The little girl knew it was important somehow. Did she somehow free the ghosts? What did she do to free them?

_No, I cannot think about that now._

Making up her mind, gritting her teeth, the blonde held the dagger in her sweaty hand and followed the apparitions. They were her friends. They were victims just like her. They wanted to help her. Rumia wanted to help her.

The little girl swung open the door. Chattering like birds, the numerous spirits flew through the door in a rush of wind. The blonde's fair hair was blown forward as the last ghost flew past her, and the iciness that lingered about her suddenly disappeared.

Immediately, the door across the hall went down in an avalanche of wood, revealing the wolf man behind it in a puff of dust and splinters. Cold sweat ran down the little girl's forehead. She looked down at her dagger, then at the spirits, swirling away and out of sight, down the flight of spiral stairs that led to the basement. Her courage quailed, and she rushed after the fading white shapes.

She couldn't hurt the wolf man. She just couldn't.

_Rumia said she could save you. _

_She could've saved my head instead!_

_Go to her. Now!_

"I…thought…" panted the blonde, "she wanted…me to…kill…"

_No, she needs you now!_

_She apologizes, but things have changed. Go to her, please!_

_That's why we are here. To tell you._

_We are all depending on you._

Inside, the blonde girl fumed, "Changed? _What_ does she mean, changed?!" She couldn't help but wonder why the great Rumia won't show her face.

There was no answer. The giggling white shapes were gone, vanished without a trace.

Fire flared in the little girl's eyes, "Where'd you all go?" she cried, stomping around screaming at nothing. Her words echoed off the damp stone walls. "What happened to 'things have changed'?! What-"

Her foot landed on something brittle, shattering it immediately. The metal grill that had covered the vent was lying still on the ground, reduced to nothing but rusty wires. The little girl scanned her surroundings. She was back in the basement where the pipe was.

_Come! Come!_

_Rumia is here._

"Why can't _she_ get down here?!" the blonde threw the dagger angrily. It landed somewhere with a _clink!_

_Because SHE,_ hissed a voice, _freed US instead of herself!_ The chattering faded up the pipe.

The white shapes flickered out. Silence wrapped the shadows like a blanket. Realization spread across the blonde's face, as all her fiery anger went out.

"Oh."

The little girl stepped towards the pipe once more, and reached inside. She was up in a few minutes. The wolf man couldn't be heard. Everything was silent and still.

_I must've lost him._ Relief was a good feeling. The blonde sighed and grabbed at a groove above her head.

Suddenly, something _wrapped itself around the little girl's feet with a vice-like grip…and pulled. _

Before she realized what was happening, the blonde girl watched in astonishment as the pipe walls slid past her. After a split-second, her instincts kicked in. She pounded the pipe and grabbed at its walls. She cried and cried. Her kicks and bites didn't matter this time. Her small body tumbled out of the pipe entrance, but never hit the ground. The wolf man held her by the ankles, and he just wouldn't let go. Dangling her in front of him, he grinned with satisfaction.

"I _got you_."

Swinging helplessly in the air, the little girl let her tears fall to the ground. Her body went limp…and she gave up. She closed her eyes and let her tiny life flash in front of her one last time. The wolf man dropped her on the floor. Pain jarred the little girl's bones, but she didn't move an inch. Her empty hands brushed the floor weakly, searching for her dagger. She wished with heavy regret that she hadn't thrown it.

The wolf man grabbed her neck, and rattled her whole body. She was conscious, yet she just wouldn't move. Growling, he shook her up and down, trying to make her talk.

"Where's my daughter? _Where's my daughter?! WHERE IS SHE?!_"

The girl's skull rattled under her skin. _Where…where are they…?_

Finally, the wolf man stopped. He threw her to the ground like a broken doll and howled in frustration.

With blood flowing freely from her nose and mouth, the little girl gurgled and coughed in her spot. The vent was open, the wolf man was distracted, but she was too weak to move.

_I'm up the pipe._

"She's…up the pipe…" rasped the blonde, "Up…"

Stopping in his tracks, the wolf man leveled his gaze with hers, "Pipe?" he yelled, "_What pipe?!_"

Unknown to both of them, the silver dagger seemed to pick itself up and float silently up the pipe. The faint shape of a little girl in a flowery dress brushed past the blonde's ears.

_Hold on. _She whispered and disappeared like she was never there. She blew air at the dagger, propelling it forward, for she couldn't hold it with her hands. A small bit of comfort found its way into the little girl. She needed to buy time.

"She…killed herself…" whispered the little girl, "_because of you._"

With crazed eyes, the wolf man picked up a metal scrap and hurled it across the room, "NO! She did _not!_ My daughter loved me! _She loved me!_ SHE WAS HAPPY HERE!" Clutching his head, he collapsed onto his knees and rocked back and forth on the floor, "She loved me…" In a flash, his hand was around the little girl's neck, "_Don't you DARE lie to me ABOUT MY OWN DAUGHTER!_" his fingers tightened.

Writhing in her own pool of blood, the little girl could feel her little flame of life dwindling, slowly, slowly, in its last stages of embers. Soon there would be nothing but ash.

_Thank you._

The blonde barely heard the voice.

_Thank you._

The pressure on her neck lifted considerably. Confused, the wolf man furrowed his brows and looked around.

_Thank you._

His eyes widened, "Rumia…!" His voice was but a hushed whisper, "_My daughter…_"

_Daddy…_

Tears of joy poured from the corner of his eyes, "Rumia! Oh my sweet daughter…"

_I hate you._

A surprised gurgle issued from the wolf man's mouth.

_I hate you, daddy!_

The blonde's head lolled to one side. The little girl's lifeline was slipping away. Her breathing shallowed, and she fell down into the void of unconsciousness.

Panting in the darkness, the blonde found herself traipsing through the shadows of her own mind, chasing a silvery silhouette in the distance, the silhouette of a blonde girl in a tattered black dress. She was getting closer…and closer…until she was able to lay her hand on the other girl's shoulder.

The other girl turned her head around.

A soundless scream caught in the blonde's throat. She was speechless, staring into the empty holes in skeleton's skull. Straw-colored hair grew out of the skinless dome. Parts of her lips were still there, and, in her chest was a bloody dagger.

The blonde girl was anchored to the spot.

_Thank you._ The skeleton girl's lips didn't move, but her voice could be heard. _I am Rumia. Thank you…for trying._

"B-bu-bu-" stammered the blonde, "Why-"

_This dagger,_ said Rumia, _isolated me from the other spirits, so they wouldn't be able to find me. But thanks to you, they did. I am not alone anymore. _

"Wh…who did this?"

_Doesn't matter! _The curtness in Rumia's voice startled the little girl. _I come to you with a deal._ The eyeless sockets seemed to stare through her soul.

The little girl saw no choice but to nod.

_My daddy's gonna kill you,_ whispered Rumia's corpse, _Let me merge with your body, and I will give you the power to save your life, and kill him. I will blend into your consciousness so that even you won't notice my presence. All I ask is that you kill him._

"…If…i-if it's revenge for my life th-then…I accept…!"

_It's revenge for your life…a life where you will be continuously reborn, and gifted with powers no human could have. You will be a supernatural phenomenon._

"I accept!" The little girl cried and held out her hand.

The corpse of Rumia stared at the little girl without expression. Suddenly, it cracked a bony smile, and leapt at the blonde girl's body.

_I did not say that was a good thing._


	6. Chapter 6

A sudden jerk of pain rushed through her body. The little girl fell to her knees, eyes wide. Her image flickered. The blonde slowly extended a shaking hand in front of her and gazed at it. She felted like she was being stretched out, slowly and uncomfortably expanding from the inside. The little girl's arms gave way and she fell to her side, shaking with pain.

She cried out when suddenly, something began forcing its way inside her body. The little girl cried out again as it seeped into her being.

Abruptly, the pain stopped. It melted away as suddenly as it had came.

_I am…almost…part of you…_

The little girl gasped in mystified horror and put a hand to her throat. Rumia's voice resonated deeply from inside of her.

_Everything of mine…is part of you…_

Suddenly, faint, discolored images flickered in little girl's mind. Bright, clashing colors blossomed in the little girl's vision.

_Through… my eyes, _murmured Rumia, _My eyes…Do you want to see?_

Suddenly, the atmosphere began to feel hot. Warm air caressed the little girl's face as the sweet, homely smell of cinnamon and earthy nuts curled up her nose. The sound of flickering flames came gradually into hearing, accompanied by a set of strange, distorted voices. The confusing swirl of color slowly deepened into cozy shades of dark brown and red.

Surprised, she found herself holding on to the arm of a tall, refined man with a tied leather suitcase behind him.

_"Really, sweetie, I'll be back soon. Daddy's going to miss you! Listen to your mother while I'm gone, alright?"_ Staring into his eyes, the little girl saw that it was the wolf man. She jolted in surprise and tried to pull herself away. However, it was not her body that she was in.

_"No! No please! Don't leave me alone with Mommy…I saw her!"_ she felt her eyes stretch wide and her arms tug even harder, _"She was doing weird things!"_

Worry creased the wolf man's face, _"…Rumia…"_ he patted her on the head and grinned. On his face was a sure, untainted look of gentleness.

And with that, the wolf man stepped out the door and shut it behind him. The little girl felt a stone drop in her stomach. Rumia's figure leaned against the closed door and hugged herself pitifully.

_"What a disrespectful daughter!"_

The voice sent shivers into her bones. A tall, slender figure of a woman appeared in the entrance hall. She had Rumia's blonde hair and icy eyes. Her face was perfect, absolutely stunning.

_"Clever girl, of course, being my daughter."_ scoffed the woman, _"And I didn't even know!"_ she jerked forward and grabbed her daughter's wrist,_ "How much did you see?!"_

The blonde watched with wide eyes her dreamy surroundings faded away. The next memory started pitch black.

Immediately, the little girl felt an icy wave of mixed emotions. The air was hot and stuffy. The damp, salty smell of sweat lingered about. Blurry images of a dagger flickered in the dark. Screams could be heard in the gloom, bouncing off the dank walls of a dark basement. Eventually, the deathly shroud was lifted and the little girl's vision cleared.

In one hand, the blonde found herself gripping the familiar silver dagger. Her other hand was rigidly outstretched and slick with blood. A flurry of cuts covered her small, fleshy palm, where a jagged artery was exposed, pumping slight streams of red. She watched in horror when her dagger arm lifted the dagger shakily and plunged it into her bloody palm. Blood spurted from the fresh wound like a geyser. Raw screams of torture rolled from her throat with ease. Oily with sweat, the little blonde wheezed painfully and felt her dagger arm lift itself to come down once more.

_ Stop!_ She wanted to scream. _Stop hurting yourself! I don't want to be your eyes anymore! _Inside of her safe cocoon, she tried to wriggle her way free and reach out to stop the blade from coming down once more. _Rumia! Why do I have to watch you do this to yourself!? …RUMIA!_

She felt Rumia's arm bring down the blade once more, twisting itself into the flushed red skin.

_These memories…Why?_

The sharp point dug into skin once more. Dark crimson fluid flowed freely down her arm and dripped onto her legs. The little girl screamed silently with Rumia's body. The heavy scent of blood now hung in the air.

_"Tell me!" _A voice rang through her muddled thoughts.

This voice was unmistakable. It belonged to Rumia's mother.

In unison with Rumia, the little girl screamed silently. But this time, the dagger did not come down again. Slowly, the little girl felt Rumia lift her head weakly, gasping and shaking uncontrollably.

That's when the little girl locked eyes Rumia's mother, floating in the air across the room, cross-legged.

Tousled blonde hair covered the woman's eyes. Two glowing red pupils shone through her hair, sparkling with power. The woman was mad. She cursed those she despised. She lied. She inflicted pain. She practiced witchcraft. Many a thing was wrong with her.

Rumia's mother's hands were stretched in a crooked fashion, bending this way and that. The dagger followed her movements. Rumia's body was paralyzed, and her hand was glued to the hilt like hot tar. The little girl felt her pain, her panic.

Now she knew. Everything was no more the wolf man's fault than Rumia's fault.

_"Now are you going to tell me?"_

The woman was answered by incoherent, screaming pleas. Face hardening, Rumia's mother twisted her hands stiffly, and the dagger was forced into her daughter's palm with another sickening _squelch!_ The blonde girl flinched. She wanted to scream more, to save Rumia. But this was a memory. It had already happened.

_"I _know_ he told you! He tells you _everything_! That fool of a man…I've married him only so I can take back what was MINE! What was my FAMILY'S!"_

A crimson red glow was forming around the woman's hands. She balled her controlling hand into a fist, _"DIE! GO TO HELL, WHERE YOU BELONG!"_

_ "D-Daddy! DADDY! DADDDDYYY!"_ Rumia's eyes rolled upwards so that you could only see the whites, _"DADDDDDDDDDDDYYYYYYY!"_ she screeched.

The dagger wasn't aimed for Rumia's hands anymore. It was going for her heart. At the slightest movement of her mother's hand, the sharp silver tip rotated smoothly and stopped in front of her daughter's chest. Rumia's eyes widened in utter fright. Her blue pupils narrowed until they were but a speck.

_Don't hurt her! DON'T HURT YOUR OWN DAUGHTER!_ The blonde wriggled violently inside Rumia's body, but she had no control. Helplessly, she felt Rumia's fingers wrap themselves against the bloody black hilt, trying to pull them away. But the force was too strong. Rumia's muscles burned like they were on fire. The dead girl's bloody hand was stinging like nothing she's ever felt before.

The witch woman opened her fist. The dagger pierced through the air and buried its point deep into Rumia's heart. Everything went black. A new memory took its place.

Blinking open her eyes, the blonde found herself slumped in against the wall unable to move. Something heavy was studded in her chest. The witch woman was kneeled in front of her. The little girl watched her carefully.

A smile lingered on the corner of the witch woman's lips as she raised her hand and pressed it on the dagger. Black threads extended each finger, wrapping the dagger in what looked like reflective strings. The thin fibers flickered once and sunk into the hilt. The magic was set. The little girl suddenly found herself being sucked out of Rumia's body, and the feeling in Rumia's fingers and toes numbed away, replaced by nothing but a cold tinge.

That's because ghosts can't feel.

The little girl gasped in surprise as Rumia's spirit was ripped completely away from her corpse. She felt the dead girl try to go back, but an invisible force field prevented her. The spirit thrashed in panic, its unstable white particles scattering and reforming simultaneously, but is unable to get back into its body.

_"Isolated from you body…" _said the witch, _"Isolated from the spirits of the spirit world!" _the woman's shoulders jerked as a giggle escaped her mouth. _"This," _she laid a finger on the hilt of the dagger that grew out of Rumia's chest, _"will never allow you to recombine with your body."_ The little girl winced as she felt Rumia's spirit throw itself madly against her mother, screeching silently. The witch continued, _"The spirit world, do you feel it?" _she stood up, _"No! Of course not. I've separated you from the spirit world as well!" _The witch looked around the room,"_Do you hear me? Every spirit will be trapped inside its body, as long as you remain trapped outside YOUR body. Even if you manage to pull this dagger out, it will be reversed, and you will be trapped IN your own body forever while the spirit world is free. They can hear you, maybe, but they can't help you!" _Crazed laughter echoed on the walls as the witch stumbled away. _"Nor can your poor, POOR father!"_

A shiver shook the little girl's bones. After numerous girls before her, she realized, she had been the first to be able to pull the silver dagger out of Rumia's chest. When she did, the spirits of the victims before her were no longer trapped in their bodies. They had come to meet her.

Before that, however, Rumia was trapped _outside_ her body, forced to float around with no solid ground. The victims of her father were trapped within, unable to come out to help. The curse of the dagger had ensured that. Yet she couldn't remove the dagger. She couldn't even stop her father from murdering more innocent people, but she tried. All Rumia could do was wander. Wander and watch, as her mind fell apart and she became as mad as her father.

Suddenly, another memory materialized.

There blonde girl recognized the pipe room. She felt Rumia's back against the ceiling, eyes staring down at something beneath. She saw a dusty, scraggy figure of a little blonde girl kneeling on the ground, staring at Rumia's body that was slumped against the wall. It was herself, she realized, with limbs almost as thin as the corpse's bones. The little girl felt a rush of Rumia's elation. Her efforts have finally not been in vain. The apparition had been desperately following her mad father around the mansion with each arrival of a new victim, finding various ways to attempt to send a message to them. Finally, one of them had found their way here.

The blonde watched in fascination as her image reached out and pulled at the cursed dagger. Her gut tingled as she watched it slide out. Immediately, she felt Rumia's soul being sucked back into her body, trapped there now that the dagger was pulled. Immediately, the other spirits became free of their bodies.

Inside her body, Rumia found the voice that she had lost for so long, and spoke.

_Kill my Daddy. Kill him._

The little girl shivered as she heard those familiar words.

Then the memories faded.

The blonde stood there, in the blackness of her mind, eyes wide in shock. She understood now. She understood it all.

Suddenly, an icy blast shook the little girl's body. The dark world in her mind rumbled like an earthquake. The two were almost combined into one.

_Kill my Daddy for me. Please._ The dead girl's voice disappeared. The earth rumbled at the completion of a demonic pact as, once and for all, the dead and the alive were merged into one.

The little girl's eyes snapped open. She flexed her fingers, tipped with a set of hooked, sharp claws. She was a monster now, and very much alive. Supernatural blood ran in her veins, replacing every slight weakness she had when she was human. Her fangs hungered to sink into flesh. She still had a conciousness, her memories, _Rumia's_ memories, but she had a new body, a monster's body. A pleasured hiss escaped through her sharp new canines.

_I am Rumia._

She turned to the wolf man.

The wolf man had seen it all. One moment, the little girl was lying in her own puddle of blood, and the next, she was convulsing. Her bones cracked like they were breaking. Her eyeballs popped out like a fish. Unhumanly screams rose from her throat as she writhed. Disgusting, purple rope-like things were crawling under her skin.

And when she opened her eyes, they were red.

A wail of shock issued from the wolf man's mouth. Like a frightened animal, he scooted backwards and pressed himself against the wall, away from the thing. Rumia knew what she had to do.

With claws outstretched, she hissed like a cat. Her body moved in lithe, unhumanly motions towards the wolf man.

_He must be stopped. The wolf man must be stopped._

It felt good to, for once, be the hunter and not the prey. Rumia relished the idea. She craved the taste of juicy human flesh between her teeth. Crawling on all fours, she advanced until the two were nose to nose.

Trying to back away, the wolf man begged desperately, "I-I'm sorry I really am…n-no words could d-describe…"

Eyes full of glee, Rumia opened her mouth slightly, showing her pointed fangs.

"_Is that so?_"

She plunged her claws into the wolf man's chest.

The deal was sealed.


	7. Chapter 7

(hope that made sense? heres the last chapter...sorry ive been busy soooooo cant rlly ensure quality lol)

The room was shaken by a series of violent rumbles. Dark, jagged cracks spread like webs across the walls as hell itself acknowledged the completion of a demonic deal. The wolf man's mangled body leaked blood steadily from the hole where his heart once was. The crimson ribbons seeped down into the cracks in the cement to water the foundation of his mansion.

Rumia's body pulsed with pleasure as she kneeled before the dead man. Warm blood and flesh slid slickly down her throat, creating a comfortable, heated feeling deep in her stomach. Power coursed through her veins, power that would ensure that she would never suffer again, that she was always going to be strong enough to fight back. Licking her lips, the girl savored her first taste of human flesh. It was delicious.

"So sweet…" gasped Rumia as the oily chunks ran down her cheek and dripped from her jaw. Her face flushed and she bent down to scrape at the wolf man's bones again.

"Ah…" It was so satisfying.

_ "Ah…!"_ There was almost nothing left but a jumble of fat and sinew. Suddenly, a tiny voice rose inside of her.

_I'm sorry._

Rumia stopped mid-motion as she wiped spittle off her mouth. Her brow creased, and her cloudy red eyes drifted over the remains that lay before her, accessing the image slowly.

An uncomfortable feeling settled in her stomach.

"Rumia!" she whispered hoarsely, "Why do I feel like this?"

_I'm sorry._ Her namesake whispered.

"Why?" the blonde's small voice echoed emptily as dread crept up her spine.

_"Why?!"_

_This is what you've agreed to become. When you and I are thoroughly one, there will be no stopping the monster I've placed inside of you. These will be the last seconds of your…sa…ni…ty…_

Rumia widened her eyes in fear. She inched away from the bloody mess in front of her, "No! Wait!" The little girl backed into the wall.

_I'm…sor…ry…_

"Why am I not destined to be happy?!"

_I'm…sor…ry…_

Running blindly through the open door, Rumia fled the basement like a mouse and shot up the stairs. Tears of panic flew from her eyes when the girl realized that no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't run away from herself. She slumped onto the floor.

Suddenly, she hated Rumia. Her namesake had did this to her. She buried her face in her crusty hands.

_I can't live like this! I'd…I'd rather be dead!_

Then suddenly, the image of a silver blade flashed in Rumia's mind.

_Where is it?_

The first Rumia's soul had been trapped inside it, meaning that the dagger had been lodged back into her chest in order to free the other spirits and allow them to assist her.

Turning around, she began sprinting back. Sweat glistened on her forehead, a single drop sliding down her nose. Rumia wiped it away and smiled grimly. _I'm still human, so far. _

…_Maybe I'm meant to suffer. Maybe I really am._ She bore this truth with brave acceptance.

_The wind is picking up. _

The wind _was _picking up. It blew the girl's blonde strands backwards from her face. Rumia looked down at herself with confusion. _Did I go mad already?_ But no, what she saw was nothing she could've ever imagined…for_ she was levitating_. Rumia was flying. Her body was floating effortlessly in the air, propelled forward with little more than a slight lean in that direction. Her arms were spread out like wings on either side of her body, sleeves flapping loosely in the wind.

_Wow…_

If freedom was represented by a movement, it would be flying. Even if only for a few seconds, the little girl felt her dream of freedom come alive.

_I've dreamed ever since…_

She was back inside the hated basement. A strange sureness drove Rumia's actions, and she forgot for a moment the heavy, unshakable sorrows of fate. Her eyes saw through the pitch dark like those of an owl. She located the vent and flew up the dank metal pipe. Her body floated into the secret room and crashed into the corpse on the opposite side. The first Rumia's skull exploded in a puff of dust.

Without a moment's hesitation, Rumia threw her hands on the handle of the cursed dagger and pulled. It came free. The other spirits are free now also, allowed rest in peace.

Clutching the dagger with sweaty hands, the little girl pointed the tip at herself. Rumia could feel her sanity leaving her as overpowering madness seeped into what was left of her soul. She fought the dark waves desperately, but they will overpower her soon. Soon, there will be no humanity whatsoever left in the body that contained a messy, monstrous soul composed of two broken spirits that had been roughly compressed together.

_I have to do this!_

A single tear rolled down Rumia's cheek. She squared her shoulders and gathered her courage. More tears followed, creating a salty stream that flowed endlessly down the soft, scratched cheeks of the little girl.

Rumia's hands shook. She closed her eyes, willing the stormy ocean that poured out from inside of her to flow out completely, leaving her an empty, dry little husk with no emotion.

She brought the silver blade forward, thrusting it deep into her own chest. The blade clattered to her side.

The spirits whom had been freed would be milling about, mourning the loss of an insignificant being on the side of the earth that disappeared without leaving so much a blemish, proof that it had existed.


End file.
